Lantern Swinger

MIA

We've covered this subject before, but when I joined in '78, it was Â£1.00/ hundred, shoreside only, 300/month.

Any brand at sea, 600/month in UK waters, unlimited abroad, but woe betide anyone caught with more than 800 in their locker,(I never found out the reasoning behind this rule).

Paybook not required, as long as you were a declared smoker.

I used to keep a couple of hundred Blue Liners in my locker at Coulport for emergencies only, as you couldn't exactly nip down to the NAAFI if you ran out.
This was '89, but I believe they were discontinued shortly afterwards. I'm not certain if this was due to Pusser getting a health kick, or the other two services whingeing about us getting a perk that they weren't.

MIA

War Hero

As a non smoker they were the best thing in the mob for getting Sub sweaters,Artic mittens/in fact anything.
Came back adrift once[3 days and the MAA said "give me your monthly fag coupons and I'll forget it!"
What a bargain!

Badgeman

Had you smoked the" Pricks" your coughing would be even worse.
Issuing leaf tobacco continued post war --until about c.1950 I think.
In lieu of tinned cigarette or pipe tobacco (ready rubbed) it was still possible to have it in leaf form.

Wrapped in tarred hemp ( with a little neat rum ?) it was sliced and teased and smoked in the then sailors' pipes.
Sore throat? Sore everything .

Midshipman

I remember the blue liners from my time on HMS Blake as a bootie bloody disgusting if memory serves me correct a true cancer stick ukel: but they were liked by my friends and helped me get my baccy dont smoke now been fag free for over 2 years now "its nice to breath"..... :whew: .